Geranium plant named ‘Crystal Lake’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Crystal Lake’, characterized by its upright and broadly outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; light violet blue-colored flowers with purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Geranium wallichianum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Crystal Lake’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium, botanically known as Geranium wallichianum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Crystal Lake’.

The new Geranium originated from a self-pollination of the Geranium wallichianum cultivar Silver Blue, not patented. The new Geranium was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated self-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Ede, The Netherlands in July, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Geranium by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Zandvoort, The Netherlands since January, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Crystal Lake has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Crystal Lake’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Crystal Lake’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium:

-   -   1. Upright and broadly outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light violet blue-colored flowers with purple-colored         venation.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent, the cultivar Silver Blue in flower color as plants of the cultivar Silver Blue have blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Geranium can be compared to plants of the Geranium cultivar Jolly Bee, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,148. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in The Netherlands, plants of the Geranium differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Jolly Bee in flower color as plants of the cultivar Jolly Bee had darker violet blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Geranium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Geranium.

The photograph at the top of the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Crystal Lake’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the first sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Crystal Lake’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Crystal Lake’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Ede, The Netherlands in an outdoor nursery during the summer and autumn. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 26° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 14° C. Plants were about one year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Geranium wallichianum cultivar Crystal     Lake. -   Parentage: Self-pollination of the Geranium wallichianum cultivar     Silver Blue, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at temperatures of             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six weeks at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright and broadly outwardly spreading             plant habit.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth             habit. Freely basal branching habit with about eleven             lateral branches per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 13 cm.         -   Plant weight.—About 36.7 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16.3 cm. Diameter: About             3.5 mm. Internode length: About 5.4 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 144A to 144B; upper             surface and older stems, overlain with 183A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Roughly reniform; palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Hastate.         -   Margin.—Palmately lobed; lobes bi-serrate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 138A to 138B. Fully developed, upper             surface: 137B; venation, 137B. Fully developed, lower             surface: Between 137C and 143A; venation, between 137C and             143A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 6.1 cm to 9.1 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144A; overlain with 183A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in pairs             arising from apical leaf axils. Flowers face upright or             outward. Flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about twelve             flower buds and open flowers per lateral branch.         -   Flowering season.—In The Netherlands, flowering is             continuous from early May into October.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: 143A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl. Length:             about 1.7 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex:             Obtuse to retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Mostly smooth; towards the base,             densely pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 85C; towards the margins, N88D; venation, N79C. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 85C to 85D; venation, N79C.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 91A to 91B; towards             the base, 91B; color becoming closer to N88C with             development; venation, N79B. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 91A; venation, N79B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Aristate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color: When             opening, upper surface: 143A to 143B. When opening, lower             surface: 143A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 10° from vertical. Texture:             Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 183A. Color, lower surface:             144A to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 30° from vertical.             Texture: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 183A. Color, lower             surface: 144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About ten. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color:             N186D. Anther length: About 2.5 mm. Anther shape: Oblong             Anther color: Between N186A and 202A. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: 196D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted;             reflexed. Stigma color: N186C. Style length: About 3 mm.             Style color: 60A. Ovary color: 143A to 143B.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Color:             Towards the base, N170B; towards the apex, N199A to N199B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About five. Length: About 4 mm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 200A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Geranium have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Germaniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Geranium have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Geranium plant named ‘Crystal Lake’ as illustrated and described. 